Teaching unions plan one-day strike in Harrow and Brent for October 17

Harrow and Brent schools will close when members of NUT and NASUWT teaching unions stage a one-day strike across London on October 17

SCHOOLS in Harrow and Brent will be shut for a day in a week's time because teachers in London are staging a strike.

Parents may need to make alternate plans for their child because members of the National Union of Teachers (NUT) and the National Association Of Schoolmasters And Union Of Women Teachers (NASUWT) will hold a co-ordinated walkout on Thursday October 17 as part of a rolling programme of industrial action staggered across the regions.

Lynne Snowden, divisional secretary of NUT Harrow, said all of Harrow’s secondary schools are likely to close along with some primary schools.

She said: “Education secretary Michael Gove is making changes that have not been thought out and have not been properly discussed with members of the teaching profession.

“He just won’t listen despite continued appeals by the leaders of the NUT and the NASUWT to talk to us about the changes he’s making to our working conditions, pay and pensions, the new curriculum he wants to bring in, and unnecessary tests for primary school children.

“Nobody really wants to go out on strike but if the education secretary won’t listen then this is the last option.”

There will be no picket lines at local schools because the union members are joining a rally in central London.

Brent Teachers Association secretary Jane Roberts said: “We appreciate this causes a problem for parents and we apologise for that, but we hope that they will also put pressure on Michael Gove to get him to talk with us.

“As the joint NUT secretary in Brent, I know of the growing numbers who are becoming totally disillusioned that their beloved profession is being hijacked by a Government intent of expanding academies and free schools, which, for example, employ unqualified teachers, as part of the drive to privatise our schools and have them run for profit.

A Harrow Council spokeswoman said: ““We will know more next week about which schools will be affected, and to what extent, as the schools will have to notify the council to confirm how many of their staff are taking part.

“Schools will keep parents fully informed of any disruption and if parents have any questions they should contact their child’s school.”